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2005 Mazda MAZDA3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Mazda MAZDA3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 108.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

77 reports with mileage · 20 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports

Steering complaints

15 reports
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93,000 miles · Mar 20, 2017
Steering

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND SOMETIMES SHUTS THE CAR DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ,MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.…

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND SOMETIMES SHUTS THE CAR DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ,MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE..ANOTHER INSTANCE , I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THIS TIME THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN FORCING ME TO QUICKLY TRY TO RESTART THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #10967329

176,784 miles · Oct 26, 2016
Steering

SUDDENLY LOSS OF STEERING POWER WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY

NHTSA ODI #10918962

100,000 miles · Aug 24, 2015
Steering

DRIVING AND STEERING LIGHT COMES ON,THEN HARD TO STEER LEFT OR RIGHT.TURN SWITCH OFF AND RIGHT BACK ON LIGHT GOES OFF AND STEERING RETURNS....VERY DANGEROUS

NHTSA ODI #10758788

162,844 miles · Feb 3, 2015
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

THE VEHICLE WAS COMING AROUND A TURN AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUSE, WHEN THE VEHICLE'S RADIO WENT OFF AND STEERING LOCKED UP INTO MANUAL AND CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE CAR STALLED OUT AND ENGINE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO MOVED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND UP…

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THE VEHICLE WAS COMING AROUND A TURN AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUSE, WHEN THE VEHICLE'S RADIO WENT OFF AND STEERING LOCKED UP INTO MANUAL AND CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE CAR STALLED OUT AND ENGINE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO MOVED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND UPON RESTART HAD TO ISSUES. UPON REST OF RETURN TRIP HOME, UPON THE APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE, THE CARS RADIO, THERMOMETER GAUGE AND GENERAL ELECTRONICS WOULD STOP AND RESET WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED AND GAS PEDAL APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10680990

169,000 miles · Sep 8, 2014
Electrical SystemSteeringCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 38 MPH AROUND A RAMP, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 38 MPH AROUND A RAMP, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V374000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

NHTSA ODI #10631522

130,000 miles · Jun 10, 2013
Steering

WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST SUDDENLY. THE FLUID IS RIGHT AT MAX WHEN COOL, AND HAS NEVER GIVEN PROBLEMS BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10516139

53,000 miles · Feb 15, 2013
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI #10498235

78,000 miles · Dec 12, 2012
SteeringCrash

STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488121

71,450 miles · May 15, 2012
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,450.

NHTSA ODI #10458578

77,050 miles · Oct 9, 2011
Electrical SystemSteering

BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ON 10/5/11, NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL FELT HARDER TO TURN INTERMITTENTLY, AT THE SAME TIME, THE RADIO AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLICKERED AND ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHED. I STOPPED AND RETURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY , WHERE THE CAR REPEATED TO FLICKER LIGHTS AND RADIO EVERYTIME I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL. IT DID T…

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BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ON 10/5/11, NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL FELT HARDER TO TURN INTERMITTENTLY, AT THE SAME TIME, THE RADIO AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLICKERED AND ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHED. I STOPPED AND RETURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY , WHERE THE CAR REPEATED TO FLICKER LIGHTS AND RADIO EVERYTIME I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL. IT DID THIS UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON , WITH NO PROBLEMS THROUGH OUT THE DAY. ON 10/8/11, I WAS TURNING INTO A GAS STATION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED , I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING SO I FINISHED MY TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO PARK ALL WHILE NOTICING MY VEHICLE TURNING OFF AND POWER STEERING LIGHT ON. CAR WAS COMPLETELY OFF BY THE TIME I COULD GET IT TO A SECURE LOCATION . THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON AT AL , THE BATTERY SEEMED COMPLETELY DEAD , WHERE I NEEDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TURN IT BACK ON . NO PROBLEM THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY SINCE THAT HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10429215

Official recalls

2

21V494000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jul 1, 2021

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Plastic fragments can hit occupants during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4921G.

04V559000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Nov 22, 2004

ON TWO PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CRACK IN THE SOLDER CONNECTION ATTACHING THE ACCELERATION SENSOR IN THE SAS UNIT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BASE PLATE, DAMAGING THE SOLDER CONNECTION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AND IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES.

Remedy: DEALERS REPAIRED THESE VEHICLES. THE TWO VEHICLE OWNERS WERE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE ON NOVEMBER 22, 2004, AND THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.